A trip
to Australia was next on the 1998 leg--a welcome, more Western change
of scene after the exoticism of Southeast Asia--followed by Christmas
and the first part of the new year in New Zealand:

The
next stretch of the voyage was to Cairns around Cape York and via Arnhern
Land. The latter region is protected Aborigine country, and you need a
permit to venture on land. It has the advantage of being almost entirely
tourist-free, making it irresistibly attractive to us tourists of course.
Anchoring a mile off a town called Gove, I went ashore on the waverunner.
Unable to see QOD, the customs officials were amazed to see me
arrive in such fashion--not least because (unbeknown to me) the area
is famous for its 20-foot-long saltwater crocodiles!

This
was not the only time one of us could have ended up as fish food. There
were also sea snakes swimming around the boat, one of which even tried
to climb into the dinghy with me. And, after hearing about the tiger sharks
that also call these waters home, taking a swim was swiftly left off the
recreational agenda....

When
Mr. Diamond and his guests arrived [in Cairns], I took them up to Kuranda
and the Atherton Tablelands. We went hot-air ballooning, floating gently
above the tips of the blue gums and paper bark trees, before enjoying
the more down-to-earth pleasures of swamp riding in an amphibious vehicle.
A marvelous day was made complete by a trip on a 21-kilometer [13-mile]
skyrail called the Wet Tropics Experience. Suspended just above treetop
level over the forests of Kuranda, you get to see an amazing diversity
of wildlife from a unique perspective. Apparently this area has more species
of moths and beetles alone than all the life forms on the Great Barrier
Reef put together. Kuranda itself was also a treat, with superb bird aviaries
and great restaurants....

The
wind blew a sustained 50 to 55 knots during our entire stay [in Wellington,
New Zealand]. Unsurprisingly, there are hardly any trees or flowers in
the city because they all get blown out of the ground. But this was an
extreme time by any standards, with at least five yachts taking part in
the Wellington to Akaroa sailing regatta having to be abandoned and their
crews rescued by helicopter....

Because
of the rough weather and the fact that no one could say when calmer times
would be on the horizon, the plan to sail to the South Island was abandoned
and the guests flew there. After they departed we sailed for Auckland.
Rounding the coast from Wellington, it was if someone had turned off the
fan, with perfect sailing conditions all the way. The New Zealand coastline
is extraordinaryily picturesque and, were it not so far away, everyone
with a boat would love to visit.

We saw
in the New Year in Auckland where Mr. and Mrs. Diamond and family flew
back from their trip to South Island, before sailing up the coast to Barrier
Island and the Bay of Islands. This is a wonderful resort area with some
magnificent anchorages. A great place to take car trips and see the beautiful
landscapes, including the Kauri forests, which are like the USA's
redwood forests.

Waitang
National Reserve, where the British and the Maoris signed a treaty in
1840, was absorbing and an ideal spot for bush walking and fishing. With
its refreshingly mild climate and dolphins galore, the whole Bay of Islands
area is definitely worthy of an extended stay. In fact, I defy anyone
not to find New Zealand as a whole a joy--despite being there for
some six weeks, I have still to meet a single bad Kiwi!

As we
went to press, Queen of Diamonds was readying for a circumnavigation
of South America, starting along its east coast (visiting French Guiana,
Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay), heading down to Ushuaia, Patagonia, and
through the Straits of Magellan, then up the west coast (with stops in
Chile, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands). Next QOD will proceed
to Hawaii, hopefully continuing on to Micronesia and the Philippines.
And as van der Watt says, "The homeward journey we'll worry
about later!"